Waterford company named on Irish tax defaulters list

A medical service provider based in Waterford has been named on Revenue's tax defaulters list for the first quarter of 2020.

Sphinx Medical Services Ltd. was listed for an under-declaration of corporation tax. The underpayment was uncovered after a Revenue audit.

The under-declaration amounted to €39,311 with interest of €8,354 and subsequent penalties of €11,792 bringing the total owed to €59,457. The total was deemed paid or settled on March 31, 2020, according to Revenue.

Sphinx was named on Part 2 of the defaulters list for the first quarter of the year. Part 2 refers to persons in whose case Revenue has accepted a settlement offer instead of initiating court proceedings, or a settlement has been paid in full.

This list reflects the amount of a settlement that remained unpaid at the end of the period 31 March 2020. Unpaid amounts are subject to Revenue’s normal debt collection and enforcement procedures.

Part 1 of the list refers to persons in whose case the court has determined a penalty relating to a settlement, or has imposed a fine, imprisonment or other penalty in respect of a tax or duty offence.

Subject to certain criteria, in settlement cases where there is no agreement to a penalty, or a person fails to pay an agreed penalty, the Court determines the penalty. Details are published when the Court determined penalty exceeds 15% of the total tax and the total of the tax, interest and penalty is more than €35,000 and a qualifying disclosure has not been made: 

Six such cases are published for quarter one of 2020 and €850,088 is the total amount of the Court determined penalty.

Details are also published when a fine or other Court penalty is imposed in respect of tax or duty offences. Court penalties may include imprisonment, partly suspended or suspended sentences, community service in lieu of imprisonment, and closure orders.

137 such cases are published and €324,890 is the total of court fines imposed.

Settlements are published when the extensive voluntary disclosure options are not availed of and the default arises because of careless or deliberate behaviour.

35 cases are published today and €6,024,932 is the total settlement amount in these cases;  16 cases were for amounts exceeding €100,000, of which two exceeded €500,000 and one of which exceeded €1m; 12 are cases in which the settlement was not fully paid as of March 31, 2020; 

€3,181,997 was the amount unpaid as of March 31. Revenue vigorously pursues collection/enforcement of unpaid settlements.